Author: Wende Gonzales

Sermon April 30, 2023

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. – Romans 15:7


I can remember spending spring break holidays at the family farm with my grandparents. On the weekends, a treat for us kids was going out to eat followed by stopping at someone’s house for dessert, cards, and conversation. It was always a spontaneous drop-in.

We would drive around a little bit (long before the days of cell phones and texting) to see who was entertaining. The first clue we looked for were the vehicles in the driveway to see if folks were home and if they already had guests. The second signal was if the porch light was on.

That porch light was the small-town welcome sign. If the light is on, all are welcome, stop on by, come on in. It was like those old Motel 6 commercials, “We’ll leave a light on for you, except when we are closed.”

This Sunday was our third installment into our series, “We Call Ourselves Disciples.” We focused our attention this week on our sense of welcome. We claim an open table, to which all are welcome. Showing a wide-open hospitality is a trait the (Disciples of Christ) pride ourselves on.

Romans 15:4-13 reminds us to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with what Christ Jesus would express. So, with that in mind, we can see that the guest list is quite long. We explore together the ways we leave the porch light on, and who it is we welcome.

View the April 30 bulletin

Sermon 4/23/2023

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  Romans 8:31-35 

Like the author of the letter to the Romans in 8:31-35, I too am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God. As God’s beloved we are never left destroyed. Yes, tragedies hit, life happens, and we are often tossed about like a boat in a storm. In our humanness, we are not exempt from brokenness.

In the presence of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit we are restored. We find wholeness. Unfortunately, this assurance doesn’t always reveal itself in ways that remind that we are connected to the fullness of God.

This is where Jesus’ resurrection, appearance to his disciples, and the proclamation of the “Great Commission” is important. When Jesus sent out his followers that were with him that day as well as all those who have continued to walk through the waters of baptism or proclaim him as Savior, we became a part of the promise of connectedness.

Our Church takes seriously this role of reminding that world that nothing can come between God and all of God’s people. As our denominational identity statement states:

“We are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. As part of the one body of Christ, we welcome all to the Lord’s Table as God has welcomed us.”

We are called to any act of love that connects the wholeness of God through our resurrected Christ, to a broken world. We are not sent to break down, but to build up. We have a purpose to live into, and as Yvonne Gilmore from the Office of General Minister and President reminds us our current mission “We are called to be a new church for a new time.”

I look forward to furthering the role we are to play in extending the wholeness of Christ.

Brett

Sermon 4/16/2023

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

We all know what it means when something is “out of commission.” When we face a health condition, illness, or upcoming surgery we know that regular patterns of behavior may not be possible for a while. When the car is in the shop, an appliance is broken, or things aren’t producing as expected, we often turn the phrase “out of commission.”

So then, when something is rip-roaring ready to go, we could assume that it is “in commission.” In the final story in Matthew’s gospel found in Matt 28:16-20, Jesus commissions the disciples. He makes them ready, gets them in the game, throws them into action, and sends them out. He commissions the disciples. Jesus motivates and anoints; he commands and instructs. Jesus puts the disciples into commission with the simple verbs of “go, make, baptize, and teach.”

Well, these instructions may sound simple enough, but we know the reality is a bit more complex. These were the instructions for how to live life and serve faithfully when Jesus is no longer walking the earth. The very last line of Matthew’s gospel are Jesus’ own words, (Matt 6:20b) meant to bring support and encouragement. “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The Holy Spirit is the gift Jesus will leave with them, as well the memories, example, and scriptural understanding to love as he did. The tools are there. The on-the-job training that the disciples have been going through has reached completion and now the time has come for them to continue on, as Jesus showed them.  

This Sunday, April 16th we too wrestled with Jesus commission of “go, make, baptize, and teach.” The joy of Easter continues as we confirm that death did not have the final and we, Sun City Christian Church, will continue serve faithfully for Christ is still with us. I look forward to worshipping with you. 

Brett

Sermon: 4/9/2023 Easter Sunday

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

Jesus prepared his disciples and loved ones (and us) as best he could. We know that each of his followers responded in their own ways with doubt and separation being a popular choice but we also know that belief was ever present, especially amongst the women of Jesus’ life.

The women listened and believed and understood Jesus when he said that after the third day he would rise again. Our scripture account for Easter Sunday will come from Matthew 28:1-10.

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary will go to see the resurrection promise fulfilled. A great earthquake will rumble, an Angel will appear, and belief will send the women forth to tell of what they have encountered at the tomb. They will see Jesus for themselves and proclaim to the disciples, “Christ is Risen!”

We too will arrive at the empty tomb and see the promise fulfilled and the glory of Christ all around us!

Sermon 4/3/2023 – Palm Sunday

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

Our journey with Jesus through the season of Lent has delivered us to Palm Sunday. I am so grateful for your willingness to try new things and to experience God in different ways. During our journey we worshipped with our senses: touch, taste, sound, sight, and smell. Together we have deepened our relationship with God and each other and in so doing, Christ has been praised.

And so now, we stand outside the gates of Jerusalem, as Jesus approaches humbly on a donkey. It is one of the most surreal stories of our faith as a cheering crowd greets Jesus with a parade of palm branches waving, Hosannas shouted, and cloaked thrown before his path.

The stimulation had to be intense. It was sensory overload, and everything was firing at once. The feel of palm branches clutched in hand and the taste of dirt being kicked up as the mob ran behind, along and before this parade of one. The odor of a sweaty crowd packed along the road together. The shouts of Hosanna ringing in the ears, all get a view of the one being herald as the Messiah.

Nothing had ever happened like this before. A haze of disdain and righteous anger hung in the air as those the religious zealots and political elite fought to disguise their fear and maintain their power. In the days ahead tensions will soon erupt and the cheers will turn to curses, devotion for Jesus will evolve into denial, and faithful hearts will be broken.

But for now, we too join with praise and adoration. Christ has come! Salvation will be ours! Hosanna in the highest. 

Sermon 3/26/2023

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

Throughout the Old Testament, an “aroma” is mentioned as something pleasing to the Lord, especially those from sacrifices made before the Lord.

The very first mention of God smelling the aroma of a burnt offering is found in Genesis 8:21. Scholars argue that the importance of the aroma is about atonement and the people of God acknowledging sin, more than the smells themselves. God was pleased with the sacrifice and Noah’s honoring God’s righteousness requirement and in return gave the promise to never again destroy the earth and everything upon it with a flood.

In Leviticus 1:9, a pleasing aroma is mentioned in connection with the various offerings of Jewish tabernacle worship. It can be argued that here too, that it is the action rather than the actual smoke of the burnt offering that God favors.

The intent behind the offering is what seems to matter most as God desires authentic devotion and acts of love. Jesus demonstrated this shift in understanding that shift our understanding as disciples away from presenting God with burnt offerings and allowing our lives and actions to become the aroma pleasing to God.

Ephesians 5:2 offers what many claim in identifying Jesus death on the cross as the greatest gesture of love imaginable, “Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

This Sunday we will conclude our Lenten journey of worshipping through our senses, by highlighting smell. Aromas intended to be pleasing to the Lord will be discovered in Matthew 26:6-13 where a woman anoints Jesus with an expensive jar perfume.

We will explore the ramifications from this story as well as our own faithful actions as disciples of Jesus.